1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of information storage devices, and more particularly to the assembly of head stacks used in such devices.
2. Background of the Art
Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data in computers and other consumer electronics devices. A magnetic hard disk drive is an example of an information storage device that includes one or more heads that can both read and write, but other information storage devices also include heads—sometimes including heads that cannot write.
In a modern magnetic hard disk drive device, each head is a sub-component of a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) that typically includes a laminated flexure to carry the electrical signals to and from the head. The HGA, in turn, is a sub-component of a head-stack assembly (HSA) that typically includes a plurality of HGAs, an actuator, and a flex cable. The plurality of HGAs are attached to various arms of the actuator, and each of the laminated flexures of the HGAs has a flexure tail that is electrically connected to the HSA's flex cable.
To facilitate reliable electrical connection and secure attachment of the flexure tail(s) to the flex cable, for example by soldering, the flexure tail(s) must first be precisely positioned on or adjacent the flex cable. Such positioning must be maintained while electrical connection and secure attachment is established. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved flexure tail and flex cable configurations to facilitate and maintain relative alignment during attachment of the flexure tail(s) to a flex cable.